# US 11,441,349 B2 · Ready to install door system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,349 B2 - Document ID: US11441349B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/555,654 - Filed: 2019-08-29 - Published: 2022-01-06 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-29 - Assignees: Larson Manufacturing Company of South Dakota, Inc. - Applicants: Larson Manufacturing Company of South Dakota, Inc. - Inventors: Alan M. Dixon; Lucas M. Hemmen; Michael W. Kondratuk; Kelly D. Nordgaard; Jammey A. Rawden - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441349B2 ## CPC - E05D 11/0009: {Templates for marking the position of fittings on wings or frames} - E06B 1/6076: {of screw-type} - E05F 3/22: Additional arrangements for closers, e.g. for holding the wing in opened or other position - E06B 1/52: Frames specially adapted for doors - E05F 3/221: {Mechanical power-locks, e.g. for holding the wing open or for free-moving zones} - E05F 2003/228: {Arrangements where the end of the closer arm is sliding in a track} - E05Y 2201/624: Arms - E05Y 2600/58: by using indicators or markings, e.g. scales - E05Y 2900/132: Doors - E06B 5/003: {Storm doors; Combination-screen-and-storm-doors} - E05D: HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS (pivotal connections in general F16C11/00) - E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00) - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF ## Abstract Ready-to-install door systems comprising, prior to installation, a door, a hinge-side z-bar, a drip cap, and a latch-side z-bar, all connected. In addition, the system may comprise door closer hardware attached to the door and either the drip cap or the hinge-side z-bar; an installation notch; or screw holders. Screw holders are also provided. Methods of installing the present door systems are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A ready-to-install door system comprising, prior to installation: a door rotatably attached on a hinge-side edge to a hinge-side z-bar that comprises a top end attached to a drip cap, wherein the drip cap is further attached to a top end of a latch-side z-bar; wherein at least one of the hinge-side z-bar and the latch-side z-bar comprises at least one preloaded screw, a mounting hole, and at least one screw holder mounted in the mounting hole to hold the at least one preloaded screw. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises door closer hardware attached to the door and either the drip cap or the hinge-side z-bar. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 2, wherein the door closer hardware is contained within a portion of the door and comprises a closer arm rotatably attached to a slider which is slideably attached to the drip cap or the hinge-side z-bar. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 3, wherein the closer arm is a multi-segment closer arm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 2, wherein the door closer hardware is contained within a portion of the drip cap and comprises a closer arm rotatably attached to a slider, which is slideably attached to the door. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 5, wherein the closer arm is a multi-segment closer arm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 1, wherein the door closer is attached to a face of the door and comprises a closer arm pivotably attached to the hinge-side z-bar or drip cap. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 1, wherein the hinge-side z-bar or the latch-side z-bar comprises an installation notch near its top end. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 8, wherein the hinge-side z-bar comprises an installation notch near its top end. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one screw holder is adapted to hold a screw in a stable position relative to a mounting hole in a first substrate, comprising: a) a screw holder body having a screw-point end, a screw-head end, and a hollow interior open at the screw-head end for receiving a screw, wherein the screw holder body has an outer perimeter adapted to fit into the mounting hole in the first substrate; b) a collar portion at the screw-point end of the screw holder body adapted to prevent the screw holder from passing entirely through the mounting hole in a screw-head direction; and c) one or more locking extensions extending from the screw holder body, wherein the one or more locking extensions are compressible against or into the screw holder body to allow the screw holder to be inserted into the mounting hole in the screw-head direction and wherein the one or more locking extensions rebound after insertion to prevent the screw holder from passing out of the mounting hole in a screw-point direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 10, wherein the mounting hole includes a positioning notch and the screw holder additionally comprises an orienting projection on the side of the collar portion that faces the screw-head end of the screw holder body, where the orienting projection is adapted to fit into the positioning notch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The ready-to-install door system according to of claim 1, wherein the door and latch-side z-bar are held in a stable position relative to each other by one or more removable z-bar clips. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 12, wherein at least one z-bar clip comprises: a) a generally planar door attachment portion comprising a first screw hole; connecting to b) a generally planar first connecting portion; connecting to c) a second connecting portion; connecting to d) a generally planar z-bar attachment portion comprising a second screw hole; wherein a) and b) are generally plane-perpendicular to each other; wherein a) and d) are generally plane-perpendicular to each other; wherein b) and d) are generally plane-parallel to each other; and wherein the z-bar clip has a consistent cross-section along a length dimension, excepting first and second screw holes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The ready-to-install door system according to claim 1, wherein the door comprises latch hardware comprising at least one live bolt capable of securing the door in a closed position after installation, and wherein the live bolt is retained in a retracted position by a removable live bolt retainer. ### Claim 15 A screw holder adapted to hold a screw in a stable position relative to a mounting hole in a first substrate, prior to driving the screw to attach the first substrate to a second substrate, comprising: a) a screw holder body having a screw-point end, a screw-head end, and a hollow interior open at the screw-head end for receiving a screw, wherein the screw holder body has an outer perimeter adapted to fit into the mounting hole in the first substrate; b) a collar portion at the screw-point end of the screw holder body adapted to prevent the screw holder from passing entirely through the mounting hole in a screw-head direction; and c) one or more locking extensions extending from the screw holder body, wherein the one or more locking extensions are compressible against or into the screw holder body to allow the screw holder to be inserted into the mounting hole in the screw-head direction, and wherein the one or more locking extensions rebound after insertion to prevent the screw holder from passing out of the mounting hole in a screw-point direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The screw holder according to claim 15, wherein the screw holder body comprises wall segments adapted to fold outward when the screw holder is mounted in the mounting hole and a screw is fully driven into the screw holder. ### Claim 17 A method of installing a ready-to-install door system comprising the steps of: a) providing a ready-to-install door system comprising: a door rotatably attached on a hinge-side edge to a hinge-side z-bar that comprises a top end attached to a drip cap, wherein the drip cap is further attached to a top end of a latch-side z-bar; wherein at least one of the hinge-side z-bar and the latch-side z-bar comprises at least one preloaded screw, a mounting hole, and at least one screw holder mounted in the mounting hole to hold the at least one preloaded screw; b) positioning the ready-to-install door system within or adjacent to a frame of a door opening; and c) attaching the ready-to-install door system to the frame of the door opening with the at least one preloaded screw. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the screws is driven into the frame of a door opening at a predetermined distance from the top of the door opening and the ready-to-install door system hangs from the screw by an installation notch on the hinge-side z-bar. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the attaching the ready-to-install door system to the frame of the door opening is performed by fully driving the at least one screw mounted in the at least one screw holder. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the system comprises door closer hardware attached to the door and either the drip cap or the hinge-side z-bar, and wherein the door closer hardware is attached to the door and comprises a closer arm rotatably attached to a slider, which is slideably attached to the drip cap or the hinge-side z-bar. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein the closer arm is a multi-segment closer arm. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the system comprises door closer hardware attached to the door and the drip cap, and wherein the door closer hardware comprises a closer arm rotatably attached to a slider, which is slideably attached to the door.